Mr Cameron acknowledged there were “very real problems” in the NHS and extended his sympathy.

The rowdy House of Commons fell silent when the Labour MP rose to speak at the end of prime minister’s questions. Her description of how her husband, Owen Roberts, suffered “coldness, resentment, indifference and contempt” has sent shockwaves through the NHS.

She said: “The universal healthcare system, free at the point of delivery, is what the overwhelming majority of the British people want – something which I remain firmly committed to. However, there are increasing complaints about nurses who fail to show care and compassion to their patients.

“What exactly will the prime minister do about that?”

Mr Cameron, who had earlier criticised the Welsh Government’s funding of the NHS, said: “The honourable lady speaks for the whole House and the whole country in raising this issue and I know how painful it must have been with what she’s witnessed in her own life and with her own family.

I am, as she is, a massive fan of our National Health Service, an enormous fan of the fact it is free at the point of use, that you don’t produce a credit card when you go to hospital.

“My own family has had extraordinary care from our NHS. But we don’t do our NHS, or indeed our nurses, any favours if we don’t point out there are some very real problems in parts of our health and care systems.”

He continued: “As a constituency MP, I see quite a few letters from people, particularly elderly people and their relatives, who are not getting the sort of care that’s appropriate in hospitals. I set up a nursing care quality forum that I’ve attended myself to discuss with nurses and nurse leaders the issues.

“There is no silver bullet, no magic wand, but some simple steps like asking every hospital to carry out a friends and family test, asking the patients and the staff, ‘Would you be happy for your family or your friends to be treated in this hospital?’ can make a real difference.

An hourly rounding – which is not something to do with statistics but the idea that for elderly patients the nurse should be there by your bedside once an hour checking that you’ve had water, that you’ve had something to eat, you haven’t got bedsores.

“We shouldn’t have to dictate these things but I think a proper conversation with our nurses who are angels by the vast degree can get this sorted out for all our relatives.”

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